Conventional pneumatic cylinders provide a conduit for airflow into and out of two working volumes by means of ports machined into the respective end caps. These ports serve as anchor points for plumbing that then communicates airflow to a control valve or valve network. While such an arrangement has a certain level of operability, it typically creates a poor dynamic relationship between airflow and differential pressure. More specifically, such arrangements typically produce excess noise (i.e., acoustical vibrations) in the air column used to move the piston. This noise affects the precise movement of the piston of the pneumatic cylinder. Consequently, attempts to apply such devices in precision applications have met with limited success.
An inherent disadvantage of this construction lies in the fact that the distance between each piston face and its respective air port changes as the piston slews within the cylinder bore. Therefore, the time required for a shock wave emanating from an air port to effect a force change on the piston is dependant on the position of the piston in the bore. Furthermore, shock waves that propagate longitudinally along the cylinder bore may be reflected off either end cap or either piston face. This phenomenon has the potential to create undesirable acoustical characteristics.